The Congressional Research Service noted a decade ago that, “Intelligence is valuable only if it can be shared with consumers who need it, but, to the extent that it is more widely shared, risks of compromise are enhanced.” That report was prompted in part by 9/11. In the twenty years since, “need to know” has become “need to share” throughout the federal government as agencies have come to realize the value...

The pandemic and great resignation have put talent acquisition and employee retainment front and center for companies and federal agencies alike. Today, there are several emerging technologies that can make a substantial impact on improving recruitment, reducing regrettable attrition, and promoting diversity and inclusion. At the forefront of this innovation is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Yet misconceptions, misunderstandings, and a lack of...

Governments everywhere and at all levels should be applauded for finding ways to meet their citizens’ needs during the pandemic. While many agencies had continuity-of-operations plans in place, no one imagined that every agency would have to act on them at the same time. What made it possible, of course, was the rapid spread of cloud-based technology that enabled government employees to work from their own homes, frequently using their o...

The U.S. military maintains bases in more than 70 countries and territories around the world, some of them in inhospitable or hard-to-reach areas. When a piece of equipment fails – whether a weapon, a radar dish, or something more prosaic like a mess hall stove – getting replacement parts can be difficult and time-consuming, and the delay can cause anything from mild inconvenience to serious problems meeting the mission. Larger bas...

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in November 2021, will unleash a flood of funding for a vast array of construction projects, including electric grid and energy improvements, roads and bridges, public transit, and water systems to name just a few. It is worth celebrating that so much will be repaired, replaced, or new-built. It also highlights a new opportunity to bring digitization to the construction industry, brin...

The federal government is dedicated to advancing U.S. leadership in the research, development and use of artificial intelligence (AI), to promote both national security and economic prosperity. Using AI to improve cybersecurity is a logical target for its implementation. It is especially important as the threat landscape continues to evolve. The World Economic Forum (WEF) reports that about 1.7 billion IoT devices have been installed to date i...

The federal government’s emphasis on cybersecurity for all agencies has had a dizzying effect on the regulatory environment. Agencies must address Executive Order 14028, mandating a zero trust architecture by September 2024. To get there, they must navigate through the General Services Administration’s approved cloud offerings in the Federal Risk And Management Program (FedRAMP). Then there are the National Institute of Standards a...

Ever since the dawn of the internet, its usefulness lies in the data it handles, whether moving it, storing it, or calculating with it. As a result, just as Willie Horton once said he robbed banks because “that’s where the money is,” many of today’s cyber bad actors target agencies’ data because they can monetize it. As a result, cybersecurity is akin to the 20th century Cold War. On the one hand, bad actors ...

After the events of the past few years, security is in the forefront of election officials’ minds. The individual states are responsible for conducting elections, so the National Association of Counties (NACo) at its annual legislative conference just conducted a series of workshops and panels on the range of threats facing election workers and voters alike. While physical threats, intimidation and harassment are primary concerns, there...

With a growing number of dams approaching their design service life, dam safety engineers are looking for ways to mitigate the risks related to public safety, aging infrastructure and rising maintenance costs. Modernizing dam monitoring and maintenance practices with digital advancements, including the latest automated condition monitoring solutions, drone-captured reality modeling and digital twins, are giving public sector dam operators tool...